Celebrities
Some Items On Hushpuppi’s IG Were Loaned To Him By Brands, Says Associate
Sikiru ‘Pac’ Adekoya, one of the suspects arrested with Hushpuppi, the embattled Nigerian socialite, says some of the items flaunted on the Instagram celebrity’s page were gotten on loan from brands.
Pac spoke in an interview with Bloomberg, a top US-based media outlet, wherein he reflected on his stint with the Instagram celebrity in Dubai and his eventual return to Nigeria.
Hushpuppi is known for his luxury lifestyle, which sees him flaunt expensive vehicles, dine with celebrities, and spread pictures of his glamorous home’s state-of-the-art furniture on social media.
His Instagram page, which boasts of 2.5 million followers, consists of posts of him posing all over the world with luxury bags, a fleet of Rolls Royce’s, private jets, helicopters, yachts, posh watches, and also chilling in five-star hotels.
But in June last year, the Instagram sensation was arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) alongside 11 of his associates over allegations bordering on hacking, impersonation, scamming, banking fraud, and identity theft.
Following his arrest, the self-acclaimed influencer was accused of defrauding 1.9 million victims to the tune of N168 billion and extradited to the US to continue his trial.
The socialite was initially arraigned and detained at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago following a delay in his trial due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But according to Pac, Hushpuppi’s popular presence on social media was aided by his ability to get some of the expensive items he shows off on his handles on loan.
“Pac told me that at least some of what Abbas showed off on social media was loaned to him solely for his Instagram. How much of his Gucci lifestyle was on loan from various brands may end up a tangential subject in the trial,” Bloomberg wrote.
He, however, did not mention some of the items or the companies granting them to him on loan.
Mehita Iqani, a professor at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, said the revelation raises concerns about the lack of regard for ethics among brands when selecting influencers.
“It does raise a really important set of questions about the ethics of marketing and how that intersects with the rise of influencers,” Iqani said.
“What responsibility do they have to do due diligence when they are choosing or recruiting an influencer?”
Pac, who has since been released following their arrest, also revealed that Hushpuppi supported his move to the UAE after he lost his construction job in Nigeria.
He added that he was living with the embattled Instagram celebrity at his Dubai apartment while searching for a job before the police arrested them.
Pac, however, said since he returned to Nigeria, he has been struggling.
“I hardly eat now, hardly go out. At times I don’t have money to fill my car,” he said.
Celebrities
Plantashun Boiz attempted reunions failed because I wasn’t invited, says Blackface
Blackface, the Nigerian dancehall singer, says Plantashun Boiz, a defunct music group, multiple attempts to reunite failed because he was not included.
Formed in 2000 with 2Baba and Faze, Plantashun Boiz disbanded in 2004 but briefly reunited in 2007 for an album.
In a recent episode of the ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’ podcast, the host asked Blackface if there was any chance that the group might come back together.
The singer disclosed that his colleagues had attempted to reunite without him but were unsuccessful.
“Without me, they have tried and they have failed. Many times. You saw them in all those shows that they were going,” he said.
“They tried but they failed. But what I must say is I’m the plantation. So let it be known. Forget the fake memo that they spread before.”
In September, Blackface called for the reunion of the defunct music group.
He urged fans to join the mission, emphasising that “unity is strength, not division”.
“My people oya make una talk put mouth for this matter! We are on a mission for world peace and it’s not a small-time thing,” he said in pidgin English.
Since 2015, Blackface constantly tackled 2Baba for recording 2004 hit ‘African Queen’ which he claimed he wrote.
In 2017, he argued that 2Baba “sabotaged” his career in the music industry.
Celebrities
Despite feud, Peter Okoye celebrates Paul on 43rd birthday
Peter ‘Mr P’ Okoye, the Nigerian singer, has celebrated Paul ‘Rudeboy’ Okoye, his twin brother, on their 43rd birthday amid their ongoing feud.
The twin brothers have been in the public eyes since their second fallout in August.
They had their first rift in 2017 which led to the dissolution of Psquare, their music brand. Though they reunited in November 2021, their reconciliation was short-lived.
Paul recently revealed another fallout, accusing Peter of orchestrating his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Peter, however, denied the allegations and accused Jude Okoye, their older brother, of diverting millions of dollars from their joint account into a secret company.
Responding to the accusations, Jude said he had done everything possible, even “sacrificing himself,” to mend the rift between his brothers.
In an Instagram post on Monday, Peter shared several photos showcasing their growth over the years.
He also celebrated their birthday while wishing himself as well as his twin brother more wins.
Celebrities
Tiwa Savage calls out Wizkid fan for bullying
Wizkid’s group of fans collectively known as “Wizkid FC” are popular for their vehement support for Wizkid and their antagonism toward those considered his rivals.
Tiwa Savage is the latest artist to call out Wizkid FC for harassment after some members of the fanbase mocked her for releasing a song on the same day as Wizkid.
On November 15, 2024, Ruger released his new song ‘Toma Toma’ featuring Tiwa Savage which she shared on her Instagram page with the caption “Told yall this one is special. The @rugerofficial called and I answered”.
In response, a Wizkid fan said “Dey play, nothing special pass Wizzy hits”.
The reply rubbed off wrongly on Tiwa Savage who said “Because I am promoting music? WTF…y’all are not fans anymore ooo you guys are actual bullies”.
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